Cineclube Pupilo takes cinema to the samba schools of Joaçaba and Herval d’Oeste, 17–19 December

The Cineclube Pupilo — Carnival Special takes cinema right into the world of samba. On 17, 18 and 19 December 2026, three nights of screenings and conversations take place at the samba schools of Joaçaba and Herval d’Oeste, in Santa Catarina, Brazil — two out on the street, in front of the schools, and one inside a samba school workshop —, bringing together documentaries from Santa Catarina about the history and the people of carnival. Doors open at 7:30 pm, the opening words start at 8 pm and the film at 8:10 pm. Admission is free, with no tickets needed, and every screening has Brazilian Sign Language (Libras) interpretation.

The programme

• Thursday, 17 December — Vale Samba, on the street in front of the school’s headquarters (Rua Tiradentes, 500, Joaçaba): Entre Máscaras e Sorrisos (Between Masks and Smiles), by Airton Cevey Junior (75 min), which goes behind the scenes of carnival in Joaçaba and Herval d’Oeste, from the first carnival groups to today’s samba schools. After the film, a conversation with the director.
• Friday, 18 December — Acadêmicos do Grande Vale, at the school’s workshop (Rua Victório Luiz Zanella, Distrito Industrial União, Herval d’Oeste): Notáveis do Samba (Samba Notables), by Alceu Bett (70 min), about the samba masters of Joinville. After the film, Alessandra Bernardino, researcher on the film and author of synopses for the Príncipes do Samba school, and her father, from the school’s Old Guard, talk with the audience.
• Saturday, 19 December — Unidos do Herval, on the street in front of the school (Av. Beira Rio, Herval d’Oeste): a double bill with Lorde do Carnaval (Carnival Lord), by Gabriela Rovai (26 min), about the Embaixada Copa Lord samba school, from Florianópolis, and Manequinha, by Thiago Barba (24 min), about the master who kept carnival alive in Jaraguá do Sul. In the debate: Thiago Barba, Lu Antunes, co-director of Manequinha, and Copa Lord’s flag-bearer couple (mestre-sala and porta-bandeira), Michel Costa and Kamila Maria.

The programme puts the carnival of Joaçaba — recorded since 1934 and today one of the most traditional in southern Brazil — in dialogue with those of Joinville, Jaraguá do Sul and Florianópolis, cities where samba was also born in Black communities, in places that usually describe themselves as European. The screenings are designed for the people who make carnival happen: drummers, dancers, seamstresses, prop makers, carnival designers and the whole community of the schools.

The full programme, with the guests of each night, is on the Cineclube agenda (in Portuguese) and on Instagram at @cineclube.pupilo.

Project carried out with funds from the Aldir Blanc National Policy for the Promotion of Culture (PNAB) — Ministry of Culture, Federal Government of Brazil —, Public Call for Cultural Projects no. 01/2026 of the Municipality of Joaçaba. Produced by Pupilo and Celeiro Cultural. Support: LIESJHO — Independent League of Samba Schools of Joaçaba and Herval d’Oeste.

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